Ashtray Rock

Absolutely fantastic.

I'm more of a fan of Joel Plaskett-sans-Emergency, I mean, I love all his work, he's one of the most consistent songwriters I listen to, but I prefer his solo albums compared to those with his band. After taking a break, the Emergency are back with their new album Ashtray Rock, which tells the story of a couple of kids who live in Clayton Park and play in a band. Pretty much the same sorta stuff he's been writin' about for the past 15 years. I mean, Joel has always told stories through his songs, but this time around the whole album ties together, with a beginning and an ending. It works as a story, but the songs still hold up individually. With the exception of a short track here and there to tie songs together, all of these songs could have appeared on an of Joel's other albums. So that's what makes it such a great album. I recommend it.